A dramatic reversal has unfolded at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo after American Rai Benjamin was reinstated as men’s 400m hurdles champion.
Benjamin, who crossed the line first in 46.54 seconds, had initially been disqualified for displacing a hurdle and impeding another athlete.
His appeal was later upheld, restoring him as gold medallist ahead of Brazil’s Alison dos Santos and Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba.
The decision means Nigeria’s Ezekiel Nathaniel, who had briefly been upgraded to bronze with his national record of 47.11s, has been pushed back to fourth.
READ MORE:nigerias-nathaniel-wins-first-mens-world-athletics-medal-since-1999
It is a bitter disappointment for the 22-year-old, who had come within 0.05 seconds of becoming the first Nigerian man to win a World Championship medal since Francis Obikwelu in 1999.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE ATHLETIC NG WHATSAPP CHANNEL
Earlier in the championships, Tobi Amusan won silver in the women’s 100m hurdles, clocking 12.29s behind Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji.
